the unsung heroines of sports history

How much more did
Sheryl Swoopes need to do to prove she deserved a shoe of her own? Scoring
records for days and plenty of double-doubles before she was out of college
earmarked her as the finest women's basketball player of her era. As a new
league dawned in which she would shine, Sheryl was the first female player
to get her own signature model-- the Nike Air Swoopes. That it rhymed with
"hoops" was just a convenient coincidence. For too long, female players
made do with takedowns of men's models, hunting for smaller sizes or
falling victim to the industry's shrink and pink afterthought approach to
the market. The Nike Air Swoopes was developed with Sheryl's close
assistance, ensuring it catered to the female foot and Her Airness' needs.
The shoe's lead designer, Marni Gerber, based the design on Swoopes'
personality. "It was inspired by Sheryl's tenacity and her desire to be in
the face of her competition. I went to Lubbock, Texas to see her life, her
family and friends. She was a tough girl with a sweet side." The design
merged great traction with agility, a rugged black Durabuck, a distinctive
midfoot stability strap that cradled the foot, a contrasting color blocking
strategy for maximum visibility and Nike Air in the heel and forefoot. The
result was an uncompromising blend of support, performance and style. Once
the new league tipped off, males desperately hunted for the Nike Air
Swoopes in a bigger size -- a glorious moment of role reversal. As the
Swoopes series evolved, implementing Zoom and Tuned Air along the way,
gender became irrelevant in the desire for these shoes. - Nike #butchhistory